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--- the_human_culture_in_the_gamma_age [2025/02/25 14:37] – [Birth and Birth Rituals] admin
+++ the_human_culture_in_the_gamma_age [2025/09/11 09:41] (current) – [Media and Information Culture] admin
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-====== The EXOHUMAN WAY OF LIFE IN THE GAMMA AGE ======
+=== Races | Culture ===
-The culture of the [[the_humans|ExoHumans]] on planet [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]] in the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]] is deeply shaped by the conditions imposed by the [[peace_treaty|Peace Treaty]] with the [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native Tribes]] and the resulting scarcity of resources. This has led to a lifestyle where improvisation and adaptability are essential, mirroring the rugged frontier spirit of Earth’s Wild West.
+====== EXOHUMAN CULTURE IN THE GAMMA AGE ======
-Despite possessing extensive technical and cultural knowledge, ExoHumans face severe resource constraints that prevent the full application of these advancements. Consequently, daily life oscillates between advanced technologies like the [[gaia_system|GAIA]] artificial intelligence system, which regulates many aspects of society, and rudimentary practices, such as reliance on animal-powered transport due to the lack of infrastructure for modern vehicles.
+The culture of the [[the_humans|ExoHumans]] on planet [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]] in the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]] is defined by scarcity, communal systems, and the restrictions of the [[peace_treaty|Peace Treaty]] with the [[alliance_of_native_tribes|Alliance of Native Tribes]]. Despite carrying the heritage of Earth’s knowledge and traditions, resource limitations force a life of improvisation and frontier resilience. Citizens live in a paradox where advanced systems like the [[gaia_system|GAIA]] AI coexist with rudimentary practices such as animal-powered transport.
-This dichotomy creates a unique cultural landscape where tradition and progress coexist, shaping every facet of ExoHuman life on VOI 700 D.
+This tension between progress and austerity shapes every aspect of ExoHuman cultural expression.
-===== The Return of Paper as the Primary Medium for Information =====
+---
-Due to limited resources and the inability to provide every citizen with digital devices, paper has regained prominence as the primary medium for storage and information dissemination in the Federal Confederation.
+===== Media and Information Culture =====
+After the crash of the [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]] in the [[beta_age|Beta Age]], the planet-wide Web never existed on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Instead, settlers relied on the [[shortwave_radio_network_of_the_exohumans|Shortwave Radio Network]], couriered [[shellac_records|Shellac Records]], and tightly rationed [[gaia_system|GAIA]] updates. By the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]], chronic energy scarcity and central planning shifted public communication even further toward paper: printing and curation were consolidated under federal oversight, making media simultaneously indispensable and politically contested.
-==== Federal Encyclopedia ====
-In 2634, the [[federal_council|Federal Council]], under the administration of [[georgia_hawking|Aisha Patel]], commissioned the [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]], a monumental project to document and preserve humanity’s collective knowledge. This encyclopedia, produced on paper, is a nod to the settlers’ resource-conscious mindset.
+**The Federal Encyclopedia**
+Commissioned in 2634 under [[georgia_hawking|Supreme Councilor Aisha Patel]], the [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]] consolidates human history, sciences, and social systems into a paper-based reference. Written by GAIA and overseen by the [[federal_news_agency|Federal News Agency]], it became the Confederation’s cornerstone knowledge source. Critics, especially [[individualists|Individualists]], denounce it as biased toward Communard ideology.
-==== Newspapers ====
+**The Federal Library System**
+Established between 2634 and 2635, the [[federal_library|Federal Library System]] ensures equitable access to curated books chosen from the [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]]. GAIA selects these works under parameters set by the [[federal_council|Federal Council]]. Libraries also act as cultural centers, hosting readings and workshops. The [[federal_library_of_hope|Federal Library of Hope]]’s destruction in 2636 underscored the libraries’ political symbolism.
-Print journalism has also seen a resurgence, with two major newspapers serving the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]] and the [[dark_side|Dark Side]]:
+**Newspapers: Gazette vs. Firetown Post**
+Two weekly newspapers dominate discourse:
+  * The [[the_weekly_gazette|Weekly Gazette]], printed by the Federal News Agency, serves as the official public press of the Confederation. Distributed in [[federal_news_lounges|Federal News Lounges]], libraries, and hostels, it embodies Communard civic culture but is accused of partiality.
+  * The [[firetown_post|Firetown Post]], founded by the Individualist Party in 2634, counters the Gazette’s narratives. Labeled “party information,” it operates outside Federal regulation, with rumors tying its printing to the [[jane_bold_gang|Jane Mendoza Gang]] and its financing to the black market.
-  * [[the_weekly_gazette|**The Weekly Gazette**]] ([[new_kourou|New Kourou]]): An independent publication funded by the Independent Press Act of 2634 and operated by the [[federal_news_agency|Federal News Agency]].
+**Federal News Lounges (FNLs)**
-  * [[firetown_post|**The Firetown Post**]]([[firetown|Firetown]]): A politically charged publication backed by the [[individualists|Individualist Party]].
+Because private distribution is considered wasteful, the Gazette is read communally in FNLs — small mycelium-built pavilions located in the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]]. They provide tables, seats, and copies for collective reading. Firetown has no FNLs; its citizens rely on subscriptions or workplaces.
-Both newspapers employ traditional mechanical printing methods akin to the presses of Earth’s 17th century. In addition to current news, they feature classified ads, birth announcements, and official registers, making them indispensable to daily life.
+---
-Due to the lack of resources in the Gamma Age the Weekly Gazette is only available in public [[federal_news_lounges|Federal News Lounges]] (in the settlements of the Habitual Belt) and Federal Libraries.
+===== Literature and Books =====
+Paper scarcity makes books precious.
-==== Pocket Books ====
+**Federal Longlist**
+All titles in libraries come from the [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]], selected annually by GAIA. Earth classics dominate, alongside reference works like the [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]] and GAIA-authored textbooks. Contemporary fiction is rare, with only a handful of part-time authors.
-Printed novels, or Pocket Books, are reissued editions of Earth’s classics, curated by GAIA to resonate with the settlers' lives. Western-themed novels are particularly popular, reflecting the settlers’ identification with frontier-like experiences. These books are distributed through [[federal_library|Federal Libraries]], one in each reservation, as part of the community's shared resources.
+**Private Collections**
-===== ExoHuman Cultural Products and Artistic Expressions in the Gamma Age =====
+Personal libraries are prohibited under [[communardism|Communardism]], but hidden Beta Age volumes survive in secret. Discovery can lead to confiscation and penalties.
-Art and culture in the Gamma Age are deeply influenced by the scarcity of resources and the prioritization of essential labor following the [[great_war|Great War]]. The Federal Confederation does not support professional artists, as all citizens are required to fulfill roles critical to the survival and sustainability of society. Under the Communard government led by Aisha Patel, the Federal Council established a unique policy to ensure cultural expression without detracting from the Confederation’s priorities.
+---
-==== Public Art and Cultural Expression ====
+===== Art and Cultural Expression =====
+All public art is designed by GAIA and executed by craftsmen under the [[federal_confederation|Federal Confederation]], ensuring alignment with communal values and preventing wasteful celebrity culture. Statues, murals, and performances emphasize collective resilience and sustainability.
-All public art is designed by the communal AI system, GAIA, and physically created by exohuman craftsmen. This approach ensures that art aligns with societal values while avoiding resource waste and the rise of "bohemian behavior," such as stardom or celebrity culture. Art in this system remains a collective endeavor, fostering communal identity rather than individual fame. This policy reflects the Confederation’s focus on equality, utility, and sustainability, ensuring that cultural enrichment complements societal needs.
+**Amateur Contributions**
+Amateurs still contribute within approved boundaries:
+  * **Jean Jacque Courtier (Writer):** Author of *[[like_leafs_from_a_tree|Like Leaves From a Tree]]*, a multi-generational novel of survival on the [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]].
+  * **Sandra Yamamoto (Musician):** Composer of *[[endless_days|Endless Days]]*, a folk anthem of Habitual Belt settlers.
-==== Amateur Contributions to Culture ====
+These works endure because they reflect communal experiences, not individual stardom.
-Beyond government-directed public art, cultural contributions in the Gamma Age are made by amateurs who create in their limited free time. These individuals, driven by passion rather than profession, provide the vibrant cultural expressions that resonate deeply with ExoHuman communities:
+---
-  * **Jean Jacque Courtier (Writer):** Author of the acclaimed novel [[like_leafs_from_a_tree|Like Leaves From a Tree]], a multigenerational saga chronicling the lives of settlers aboard the [[last_frontier|Last Frontie]]r. This work has become a cornerstone of ExoHuman literature, reflecting themes of survival, adaptation, and identity.
+===== Sports, Exercise, and Games =====
-  * **Sandra Yamamoto (Musician):** Composer of the folk anthem [[endless_days|Endless Days]], a song emblematic of life in the Habitual Belt. Yamamoto’s music captures the resilience and collective spirit of ExoHumans in a harsh yet hopeful environment.
+**Exercise Culture**
+Physical activity is state-regulated: running, yoga, and gymnastics are encouraged to maintain workforce productivity. High-risk or resource-intensive sports are banned.
-Through such works, cultural life thrives in the Gamma Age, driven by communal effort and individual creativity within the bounds of societal priorities. This balance ensures that art and culture remain vital parts of ExoHuman identity without compromising the Confederation's survival-focused ethos.
+**Board and Dice Games**
-===== ExoHuman Sports and Exercise Culture =====
+Games thrive as low-resource pastimes:
+  * *[[frostpunkt|Frostpunkt]]* — a dice game born in Firetown’s mines.
+  * *[[twenty_one|Twenty One]]* — a variant of Blackjack common in saloons.
+  * *[[zugzwang|Zugzwang]]* — a strategic board game in Federal Libraries.
-Limited space, resources, and labor shortages heavily regulate recreational activities. High-risk or equipment-intensive sports are prohibited. Instead, citizens are encouraged to engage in resource-light activities such as running, yoga, and gymnastics, fostering physical fitness without excessive resource consumption.
+**Shadow District Gambling**
+Despite bans, Firetown’s “Shadow District” hosts hidden casinos with high-stakes gambling, where rations and smuggled goods are wagered.
-===== ExoHuman Games in the Gamma Age =====
-With restrictions on physical sports, board games and other low-resource games have become popular:
+---
-  * [[frostpunkt|**Frostpunkt:**]] A simple dice game originating in Firetown’s mining community.
+===== Rituals and Life Cycles =====
-  * [[twenty_one|**Twenty One**:]] A variant of Blackjack widely played in Firetown saloons, sometimes illicitly involving high stakes.
+**Weddings**
-  * [[zugzwang|**Zugzwang**:]] A sustainable two-player strategy game, easily adaptable with makeshift boards and pieces.
+Mass ceremonies are held quarterly at the [[federal_administrative_service|Federal Administrative Service Building]] in [[new_kourou|New Kourou]]. Couples pledge loyalty to the Confederation and the two-child policy, exchange wooden rings, and inscribe their names on the “Wall of Names.” Personal celebrations are limited to modest family gatherings.
+**Birth and Registration**
+Births are scheduled at the [[medical_station|Medical Station of New Kourou]] or handled by General Practitioners in emergencies. Every newborn is registered by GAIA, added to the “Wall of Names,” and linked permanently to communal records.
-===== ExoHuman Rituals in the Gamma Age =====
+**Funerals**
+Death rites vary by region but are centrally recorded. In the [[asari|Asari Region]], bodies are composted in Federal Funeral Homes; in the [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]], cremation in volcanic fire is practiced. Names of the deceased move from the Wall of Names to a memorial wall for one year before erasure, marking the end of public identity.
+---
-==== Weddings ====
+===== Legacy of the Great War =====
+The [[great_war|Great War]] remains a cultural shadow. Families preserve secret oral stories, but public commemorations are banned. State-controlled memorials describe the conflict as a “necessary transition” rather than a tragedy. This erasure fuels quiet dissent and nostalgia, especially among veterans and their descendants.
-Weddings on VOI 700-D are much more modest than they used to be on Earth. Due to resource constraints, large private parties away from the three public holidays are frowned upon. That is why a wedding is more of a private ceremony of the couple getting married. The highlight of the ceremony is the official marriage of the couple at the Federal Administrative Service of New Kourou. As part of the marriage ceremony, each couple also swears once again to the constitution not to have more than two children. Since rings made of expensive metal, gold or silver are also not possible due to the scarcity of resources, couples now present each other with self-carved rings made of wood. Afterwards, the newlyweds usually go home to eat with their immediate family.
+---
-==== Funerals and cemeteries ====
+===== Criticism and Opposition =====
+The [[individualists|Individualist Party]] accuses the Communards of cultural censorship disguised as curation. Their claims include:
+  * GAIA filters out dissent under the pretext of “unity.”
+  * Pro-Individualist perspectives are systematically excluded.
+  * Official art, books, and newspapers serve as “shadow propaganda.”
+To resist, Individualists smuggle alternative texts, illegal records, and unauthorized histories, undermining the monopoly on cultural production.
-**Funeral rites vary by region:**
+---
-  * In the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]], composting rituals mirror practices aboard the [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]], transforming bodies into nutrient-rich soil.
+===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====
-  * In the [[ralar_region|Region Ralar]], bodies are cremated in the volcanic lava of [[ralar|Ralar]], with personalized volcanic stones placed in remembrance.
+ExoHuman cultural life provides fertile ground for campaigns:
-==== Birth and Birth Rituals ====
+  * **The Forbidden Book:** PCs find a manuscript contradicting official history. Do they spread it or hide it?
+  * **Smuggling Words:** PCs escort a rebel writer publishing an underground newsletter.
+  * **The Lost Ballad:** A folk song with hidden anti-Communard messages spreads unrest.
+  * **Casino Heist:** PCs infiltrate Firetown’s Shadow District to recover stolen Beta Age artifacts.
-Children are usually born at home, because the settlers do not have the resources and space for a specialized  maternity hospital The mothers are supported by Midwives of the [[federal_health_agency|Federal Health Agency.]] The midwives are well trained, so the rate of successful birth is very high.
+---
 ===== Related Pages and Further Information =====
+  * [[federal_confederation|Federal Confederation]]
+  * [[gaia_system|GAIA]]
+  * [[communardism|Communardism]]
+  * [[communards|Communard Party]]
+  * [[individualists|Individualist Party]]
+  * [[federal_library|Federal Library System]]
+  * [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]]
+  * [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]]
+  * [[the_weekly_gazette|Weekly Gazette]]
+  * [[firetown_post|Firetown Post]]
+  * [[federal_news_lounges|Federal News Lounges]]
+  * [[the_funeral_rituals_of_dark_side_residents|ExoHuman Funeral Rites in the Gamma Age]]
+  * [[the_alpha_age|Alpha Age]], [[beta_age|Beta Age]], [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]]
-  * [[the_gamma_age|Overview Gamma Age]]
-  * [[the_funeral_rituals_of_dark_side_residents|Exohuman Funeral Rites in the Gamma Age]]
-  * [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]]
-  * [[dark_side|Dark Side]]